NBA Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway Sr. recently made headlines after having a profane message directed at Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton.
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While appearing on the Gilbert Arenas Show, Hardaway started criticizing the lack of rivalries in basketball nowadays, referring to the NBA as a "handshake league." Then things took a turn when he randomly started calling out one player in particular.
"If I go back and suit up, I wanna go f*** up [Tyrese] Haliburton... He talks so much s***. I wanna go back and bust his motherf***ing a**. He think he all that," Hardaway said.
The NBA is becoming a handshake league 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/wfcgMQpxH5
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) February 20, 2025
Considering this seemingly came out of nowhere, fans were a bit confused why Hardaway had such a grudge against the 24-year-old budding superstar.
That is, things really got interesting when Haliburton responded to all this on social media.
"Tell the world the real reason you feel this way, Tim," the 2x All-Star said on X.
Fans started throwing around some outlandish theories as to what 'reason' Haliburton may be referring to.
One user wrote on X, "Swear to God when Tyrese first tweeted that I'm like 'is Tyrese gay?????'"
He meant it too pic.twitter.com/pvjWntBZ7U
— Tyler 🥺👉👈💕 (@StuntCunnings) February 21, 2025
One of the more believable rumors out there, is that Hardaway has bad blood with Haliburton's cousin, Eddie Jones.
To note, during the 2000 NBA season, Hardaway and Jones became teammates on the Miami Heat.
Through the grapevine there are stories told that allegedly Jones may have invited Hardaway's wife to his Miami condo and some things might have happened between them.
Although no one knows if there is any real truth to this, it would make sense why Hardaway doesn't really like anyone from Jones' family.
Not only that, it might even explain why Hardaway, the Heat's all-time assist leader, was traded to the Dallas Mavs (for a 2nd round pick) following the 2001 season, after spending a decade of his career in Miami.
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